Life cycle thinking

Interpretation

In the final step of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), known as interpretation, findings from the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) and Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) are thoroughly examined within the context of the predefined objectives from the Goal and Scope. As such, this phase may involve iterations to refine the study's quality. The interpretation of the study should reflect the intended audience and the limitations established by the goal and scope. 

Interpretation involves an evaluation of the completeness, consistency and reliability of the LCA (ISO, 2006). 

• Completeness: To check all necessary data is available. If not, the goal and/or scope need to be modified.

• Sensitivity: Uncertainty in the dataset creates uncertainty in the results and conclusions. A sensitivity analysis can be undertaken to understand the margin of error so that the conclusions can be appropriately cautious.

• Consistency: Several factors need to be checked, including whether assumptions and methods are consistent between product systems. 

In terms of reporting the interpretation of the LCA, since 2013, the European Commission has advocated for the adoption of standardised methods for gauging and communicating the environmental performance throughout the life cycle of both products and organisations (Zampori et al., 2016). This initiative has given rise to a harmonised approach for conducting multi-criteria environmental assessments, encompassing Product Environmental Footprints (PEF) for products  (European Commission, 2022) and Organisation Environmental Footprints (OEF) for entities (Pelletier et al., 2014).